A family travels from Florida to New Zealand aboard their St Francis 50 catamaran

Day 9

Dave04/09/2008, Pacific Ocean

Yesterday not a cloud in the sky, today 100% overcast. Wind has been steady around 20 knots. Bird is trained to stay off the solar panels. Other boats behind us have had very bad weather, we have been lucky so far. 1512 miles to go, we are approximately half way! A nouveau des nuages dans le ciel grisatre mais nous sommes a la moitie du chemin!

I think we have trained the bird not the hang out on the solar panels by knocking him repeatedly with the dingy paddle all day yesterday every time he landed. The last time I whacked him he fell to the lower deck and stayed there all night. This morning after returning from fishing he returned to the panels but relocated to the lower deck area when I showed him the paddle. We tried to feed him some 5 minute old mahi-mahi we caught yesterday but he was not interested. However he was very happy to eat the old dead flying fish that Alec collected for him from all over the deck this morning! Anyway if he stays on the lower areas we can wash down the decks every morning without having his #@#% wash into the cockpit and he will be welcome to stay. He is now on his third day. 201 miles yesterday as we did not fly the screecher due to questionable weather. 1720 miles to go. Wind has been very consistent at this latitude, 17-23 knots from the S.E. Nous sommes arrives a faire comprendre a notre copain le bobbie bird qu'il fallait absolument ne pas etablir son chef-lieu sur les panneaux solaires, il a maintenant compris qu'il doit rester sur le cote (de ce fait nous pouvons nettoyer ses excrements tous les jours- ce n'est pas un petit oiseau si vous voulez des details!). David a du etre un peu assidu et agressif mais cet oiseau est intelligent et a compris que si il veut rester, il doit se conformer aux regles! Ce matin, Alec a rammasse 8 poissons volants qui echouent chaque nuit sur le pont du bateau et il les a lance a Koukounet, notre oiseau qui s'est delecte! Le vent est toujours a 18-20 noeuds et nous progressons a bonne allure (plus de 200 miles en 24 heures).

214 miles yesterday, our record. That's with two reefs in the main at night to slow it down (less noise) for sleeping. We have had a booby living on our solar panels now for two days. He fly's around the boat every hour or so to try and catch the flying fish that the boat scares out of the water. I have not seen him catch one yet but he must be catching plenty as evidenced by what exits his rear all over the boat. I think he will wear out his welcome soon just as the sea lions did in the Galapagos. 1932 miles to go! Nous avons parcouru un record de 214 miles les dernieres 24 heures, ces vents sont si reguliers, cela ne m'etonnent pas qu'ils sont tant apprecies! Depuis deux jours un oiseau s'est invite a bord , il a etablit son pied a "terre" si j'ose dire juste sur nos panneaux solaires, Il se repose, va a la peche aux poissons volants 4 a 5 fois par jours et reviens se reposer, mais...... il depose aussi sur nos precieux panneaux d'energie ses excrements qui commencent a bien sentir, si seulement on pouvait lui apprendre a aller aux toilettes sur l'eau! 7eme jour, 1932 miles a parcourir,....patience, patience....

10am We lost the wind again yesterday but now we have it back very will. We are making 9 knots and the skies are clearing some. We fought a large Marlin for 20 minutes yesterday, got a good look at him and he at us with a big eye before he broke the leader. Otherwise just some small mahi-mahi and one small tuna. 2340 miles to go! Un bon vent aujourd'hui! Nous progressons..... a pas de fourmis, il semble. Hier nous avons passe une bonne nuit, la houle etait beaucoup plus calme. La peche a ete bonne: un thon et un petit Mahi-Mahi. Nous avons aussi attrape pour quelques instants un marlin, mais il a casse la ligne! A demain....